New Fable Concept Art Leak Shows Lord of the Rings Inspirations

Fable is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated titles of the year for fantasy fans (including me), and we are now literally just a couple of days away from the next Xbox Developer Direct, which promises to reveal a wealth of new details and information on Playground Games’ upcoming project.

However, a perfectly timed leak has surfaced, dialing the anticipation up to eleven and revealing some pretty interesting details and visuals from the game.

A Glimpse into the Evolution of Albion

First reported by MP1st, several images that are supposedly concept art for the next Fable title have been shared online. While the specific artist remains unnamed, the report claims these screenshots come from the portfolio of a concept artist who previously worked on the highly anticipated title.

And these pieces reveal stunning locations, visuals, and elements from the world of Albion, including the design of both small and large cities, glimpses of some sewer exploration (which appears on one of its trailers, by the way), local wildlife, and some highly diversified settings.

The leak also includes a few uncolored (and apparently unfinished) pieces that depict the bustling streets of a market district. Even without color, the sense of life in these environments is palpable! Attentive fans can even spot storefronts on these ones, such as a shop named “The Phoenix Feather,” which already looks like the perfect place to spend some hard-earned gold.

Additionally, one piece of art highlights different versions of silver chests (yes, more loot!) with a nice detail showing a chest from the original game used as a reference.

You can check out the full gallery of leaked images right below:

According to the MP1st report, there are further details hidden within these art pieces. For instance, they strongly believe that one image, showing the protagonist looking out over the horizon at a massive city, actually depicts Bloodstone – yes, that infamous port town from Fable II known for harboring criminals and outcasts.

Another interesting claim involves the filenames of the images set in a swamp village (which is pretty gorgeous, by the way). Basically, the scenery is reportedly labeled as “Hamlet,” which is rumored to be the protagonist’s hometown (or something close to that).

While these details are incredibly exciting (trust me, I know), it is important to remember that this is a leak in the end, and that Playground Games has not officially commented on these artworks. So much of this remains speculation.

However, regardless of their official status, I must say that it is fascinating to see the stylistic contrast here! While every Fable trailer so far has managed to convey a whimsical, true fairytale feeling, these concept arts channel a vibe reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings (or even Elden Ring), but with a darker twist. And damn, this grittier aesthetic seems like a perfect match for the modern evolution of the series, right?!

Fortunately for us, we won’t have to wait long for more official info. The Xbox Developer Direct is scheduled for January 22 (10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm UK), where more of the game will finally be shown. Oh, and with Fable officially set to launch sometime in 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, we are all crossing fingers that we might finally get a specific release date during the broadcast.